One of the best ways to find an internship or job is through your connections. Connections can be made in person, virtually, by phone, by email, or through social media. The easiest place to start networking may be with family, friends, neighbors and with the people they know. Others to connect with during your internship or job search could be UMD faculty and staff, coaches, alumni, and employers. You might be surprised by who is able to help you.
The Career Center provides UMD students many on-campus and virtual opportunities to connect with employers throughout the school year. Check out the Career Center Events Page or events in Handshake to find specific opportunities.
Opportunities for Connecting with Employers
Career Fairs
Career fairs provide an opportunity to connect with several employers in one day. Employers at career fairs can answer questions about available positions and give insight into their organizations.
While employers at a fair may be taking resumes, applications, and/or interviewing the day of or after the event, they are primarily attending the fair to make connections with students. Ask employers the best way to stay connected with them, and follow up after the fair.
Check out the Career Center blog for career fair advice from UMD students. See the following blog posts for helpful tips:
Career Connections
Attending a Career Connections event is beneficial for those who are interested in meeting with a specific employer in a low-key setting or are looking for resume, interviewing, or career advice.
Career Connections is an event hosted by the Career Center where an employer comes on campus to provide professional development opportunities to students while promoting their organization and openings. Employers will table outside the Career Center in the Solon Campus Center Wedge, and students can stop by to meet recruiters and ask questions.
Information Session
Information Sessions are employer-sponsored presentations to help students learn more about a specific organization and meet representatives in an informal setting. During an info session, an employer will typically give an overview of their organization and culture, discuss available opportunities, and allow time for student questions. Sessions may be held on or off-campus or in a virtual format, and are a great way for students to demonstrate interest in an employer.
Search for upcoming information sessions by searching in Handshake under Events and filtering by Info Session, Virtual Session, Other, Speaker/Panel, or Employer On-Site in the All Filters section.
Handshake
Handshake is a great tool to use to research employers and find contact information for representatives at specific organizations. Once logged in to Handshake, use the Employers tab to find relevant employers and see their Employer Handshake Profile. On an Employer’s Profile, find contact information and/or a public staff list, which can be used to get in touch with employers and inquire about opportunities or set up career conversations.
Want guidance on how to reach out or what to say to employers once you have their contact information? Email [email protected] to set up an appointment with one of our Career Counselors.
Social Media
There are many ways to use social media and a variety of platforms to expand your network to find an internship or job. Use social media to:
- Find internship and job postings.
- Follow organizations of interest to see potential opportunities, how they interact with their customers, and clues about their organizational culture.
- Research organizations to find information on how to contact them, recent hires and current employees, and recent developments or news about the organization.
- Connect with employees at the organization, especially UMD alumni or representatives you’ve met through career fairs and other events.
- Follow industry hashtags and resources to learn about current trends that could influence your internship or job search.
- Ask your connections on social media to connect you with others.
Some social media platforms you may consider using in your job search can include LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter.
Employer Presentations for Student Clubs
Employers like to connect with UMD student clubs to aid in students’ professional development and to promote opportunities within their organizations. The Career Center can help UMD student clubs connect with employers and host events. We can help clubs find relevant employers and contact information, we can assist clubs in reaching out to employers, and we can aid in the promotion of employer events and hosting the event itself.
Reach out to our Employer Engagement team if your club is interested in connecting with employers.